130522: Baseless Report About Times of Eating and Drinking Being ‘Awrah

“Eating and drinking are two ‘awrahs (times of exposure/weakness) , so cover them.” Is this a saheeh hadeeth (authentic narration)?

Praise
be to Allah.

After
looking for this hadeeth in the books of Sunnah (prophetic traditions), we
could not find any basis for it. This hadeeth was not even mentioned by the
scholars who compiled collections of weak and fabricated hadeeths. Perhaps
it is one of the false hadeeths that were fabricated in recent times.

The
meaning indicated by the hadeeth has no basis in the Sunnah of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Eating and drinking are not
among the ‘awrahs which must be covered.

The
Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to eat with his
Companions, so how can eating and drinking be ‘awrah?